A Loving Family
by WriterFreak001
Summary: Just a little something I cooked up post-2x07. :)


**WriterFreak001:**

I have two one-shots planned that are based off of 2x07 so here is one of them, and the second one will be uploaded either Wednesday or Thursday after updating _Kill Switch._ :)

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 **Title** | A Loving Family

 **Fandom** | _Scorpion_ (CBS)

 **Description** | Just a little something I cooked up post-2x07. :)

 **Rating** | This fanfiction will be rated K.

 **POV** | Limited Third Person

 **Disclaimer** | While CBS owns _**Scorpion**_ , I am the owner of this masterpiece.

 **Claimer** | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something _should_ be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time, but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

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 **A Loving Family**

 **Written by WriterFreak001**

 **One-Shot**

 **~ S** **CORPION ~**

"So I noticed you didn't make a big fuss when Toby decided _not_ to give up on Happy, tonight." Cabe shot Walter a quick glance and smirked, "Could it be because of your growing relationship with Paige?"

"I'll admit," Walter didn't look at the agent, "my opinions about Toby pursuing Happy last year weren't entirely positive, but I'm beginning to understand that," Walter couldn't help the small grin coloring his lips, "we don't always have control over certain feelings. Toby's cold turkey plan didn't pan out long, and," he cleared his throat and hoped, with every fiber of his being, that the darkness of the night was masking the rosy color from the heat in his cheeks, "pretending to control how I feel about Paige was not as simple as I thought it would be."

Cabe was silent for a minute before he reached over the console and gently placed his hand on Walter's left shoulder. "I'm proud of you, son."

Walter cocked an eyebrow and turned towards Cabe. "For what?"

Cabe smiled as he slowly retracted his hand and placed it back on the steering wheel. "For evolving…."

Walter pursed his lips and nodded, understanding Cabe's response. He looked beyond the windshield again as a loaded thought crept into his mind. Eventually, he turned towards the agent again and gently said his name. "Cabe?"

"Hm?"

"…How do you… How would you know if you're romantically in love with someone?"

Cabe couldn't smile wider. "Believe me, son," Cabe chuckled, "you'd know."

The agent's answer intrigued the genius. He crossed his arms and carefully angled himself towards Cabe. "Then…," Walter wasn't sure how to word his next question, "what're the… ingredients… the, uh, qualifications?"

Cabe couldn't help but laugh. "When it comes to love, there are no ingredients… or qualifications. Love can be all over the place." He paused as he parked the SUV in front of the garage and then he turned towards Walter with a soft look in his eyes. "Here's the simple answer: when you're in love with someone, you can't imagine a single day of your life without her. She may drive you crazy, make you angry, confuse you or upset you, but, in spite of all of those things, she means everything to you. And I mean _everything_. Your thoughts, your actions, your decisions all revolve around her, and you'd stop at nothing to keep her safe – even at the cost of your own life."

Walter didn't speak for several seconds.

"Cabe?"

"What is it, son?"

"I think I might be in love with Paige."

 **~ SCORPION ~**

After Walter's brief conversation with Cabe, he climbed out of the vehicle, thanked Cabe for the ride and for the advice, and made his way inside the garage. He turned on the garage's alarm system and then took the stairs, two at a time, to the loft to retire for the night. But when he started walking towards his bedroom, he didn't expect to see Ralph still sleeping on the couch nor to find Paige sleeping in the ivory chair across from the sofa. As he slowly and quietly headed for his room to fetch a blanket for Ralph, Paige stirred awake and audibly stretched, causing him to stop in his tracks and glance at her. She sweetly smiled at him and rose to her feet before sluggishly making her way towards him. She circled around the couch and sent a loving look towards her son and then one to Walter. He gulped nervously.

"Ralph wanted to spend the night here, and I'm just too exhausted to go home. I hope you don't mind us staying here tonight." Paige crossed her arms and lightly combed her fingers through her son's hair.

"Not at all. Um," he ran his hand through his hair, "stay as long as you need."

"Thanks," Paige spoke softly as she pushed her hair back. "I'll, uh," she slowly bit her lip, "I'll sleep downstairs on the couch."

"No," Walter folded his arms in front of him and slightly shifted his weight. "You've had a long day and need proper rest. Use my bed. I'll take the couch downstairs."

"I ca-"

Walter cut her off. "I insist."

She opened her mouth to argue but knew it was already a done deal. She lightly chuckled and caved into his offer. "Okay." She started to turn towards his bedroom when he instinctively reached for her hand, keeping her from walking away. She immediately spun around with lifted eyebrows, and he nervously scratched the side of his face. "Walter?"

"Um," Walter mindlessly gripped her hand tighter. "Can we talk?"

Another small smile found her lips. "Sure."

He gently pulled her towards the kitchen for a little bit of extra privacy and to avoid waking up Ralph before speaking to her. "I, um, I need to be frank with you."

"Okay." Paige blinked, a little worried of what he might say. She never stopped looking at him as his eyes shifted to their conjoined hands. "What is it, Walter?"

"I, uh," he pursed his lips and focused on the way her thumb was slowly rubbing his knuckles, "Y-you said you want me to be selfish and think about myself, but," he finally met her light brown eyes and automatically tightened his grip on her hand, "I don't know if I can always promise that."

Paige inhaled a slow breath and nodded as she bit her lip. "I know."

"If, in the future, I had to make a choice like I did today in order to save you or Ralph or both of you over my own life, I'd do it in a heartbeat." He paused as Paige's eyes welled up with tears. When she didn't say anything, he slowly continued. "I will _always_ choose yours and Ralph's lives over mine; there's no question about it. I c-can't promise you I'll think selfishly in every situation, but," he grabbed her other hand and held it as tightly as the other one, "I can promise I'll exhaust every option before ever considering my life for yours and Ralph's."

"Walter," Paige brought one of his hands to her lips and lightly kissed his palm, "I know you can't always think selfishly in every case, but," she stepped closer and smiled sadly, "you and I are a team, and we've proven, countless times, that we work better together. You… you should have told me the truth instead of lying to me. You should have told me what you were planning."

"Would you have gone into the next car if I had?"

Paige bit her lip and looked away from him. "I don't know."

"Paige," Walter's hands squeezed her hands, forcing her to look at him. "I lied to you because I _needed_ you and Ralph to be safe. I needed to know that both of you were going to survive because… I… I can't fathom the rest of my life without you… and without Ralph."

"But that's the thing, Walter," Paige stepped dangerously close to Walter and gazed into his deep brown eyes. "I can't… _Ralph_ and I can't imagine _our_ lives without you, either." Walter pressed his lips together as he stared at her in a mixture of shock and guilt. "You think it's okay to sacrifice your life for us because you can't fathom a life _without_ us, but as I said before, you _need_ to be selfish and think about how much you mean to us. The world doesn't always have to balance on your shoulders, Walter. You shouldn't have to carry such a burden." As a stream of tears spilt down her cheeks, she twisted her fingers out of his grip and cupped his face. "You bring so much good to the world, Walter. You save lives. Lots of them. But _your_ life is important too. There are people who care you about you… who… who love you," she paused and strummed her finger delicately over his lips, "It's okay to be selfish for once… and," her voice cracked as she weaved her fingers lightly through his hair, "want things for yourself."

Unsure how to tell her what he actually wanted… what he _needed_ her to know… what he _wanted_ her to know, he leaned forward and crushed his lips against hers as his arms strung around her back and pulled her closer to him. Paige tightened her arms around his neck to keep him from backing away as she moved her mouth passionately against his. And when he _did_ pull away, he didn't jump away from her. He only closed his eyes and tugged her closer to him, allowing himself to hold her the way he wanted when he first jumped onto that train. He was determined to hold her for a very long time, and how she was embracing him told him she didn't want to let go either.

Eventually, Paige was the first to step away. With her fingers clutching his, she slowly pulled him to his bedroom but didn't say anything until they were standing next to his bed. "Don't sleep on the couch tonight," Paige bit her lip and squeezed his hand. "Stay with me."

"Paige," Walter whispered before turning towards the couch where Ralph was sleeping. "I don't th-"

"I'm not asking for anything, Walter," Paige glanced at the bed before finding his eyes again. "I just…," she licked her lips and smoothed her thumb over his lips again, "I need to hold you tonight…," she stepped closer to him. "I _need_ to know you're not going to fade away from me again."

"That's," he chuckled but then realized how serious she was and decided to let the rest of his statement hang. Instead, his smile fell as he gave her a slight nod. "Okay."

"Thank you," Paige mumbled as she lightly kissed his lips before sliding underneath the bed's covers, pulling him with her. She curled beside him and rested her cheek against his chest as her arm draped over his abdomen. She instinctively curled her left leg over his and slowly sighed as she relaxed against him. His arm latched around her and held her impossibly closer to him as both of them closed their eyes and allowed themselves, together, to fall into a deep, peaceful slumber.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

Ralph slowly opened his eyes and glanced at his surroundings, finding himself still in the loft. He didn't know how late it was, but the loft was still very dark and knew it would be hours before the sun would rise. He remembered waking up a few hours ago and telling his mother he didn't want to leave when she started picking him up to take him downstairs. She had agreed to let him continue sleeping and said she would be in the chair if he needed anything.

But when he glanced at the ivory chair, it was empty. Alarmed and alerted, he pushed himself up and climbed off of the couch to search for her. He slowly sauntered towards Walter's bedroom, with every intention to ask the genius if he knew where his mother was, but when he spotted his mother curled up next to a sleeping Walter, he wasn't worried anymore. He smiled at them and couldn't help himself when he climbed onto the mattress and curled beside Walter, also draping his small arm over the super genius's torso.

Walter, unbeknownst to the boy, stirred awake and found Ralph sleeping beside him. He mindlessly combed his fingers through the boy's thick, brown hair before wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer. And for the first time in a _very_ long time, he realized exactly what he had always selfishly wanted when it was already right there, in the palm of his hands.

A loving family.

 **~ SCORPION ~**

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 **WriterFreak001:**

And there you have it! :3


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